Check Out Chris Paul' Lil Trick Shot

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Video-Chris-Paul-s-off-the-ceiling-trick-shot?urn=nba,193703

Check Out Chris Paul

Chad "Houdini" Cinco

Mr. Ochocinco had it planned all along. The Milwaukee Journal did a little dirty work and found out that Chad Ochocinco, wide receiver of the Cincinnati Bengals. Used his twitter account to plan out his "lambeau leap" after his touchdown in Sunday's win over the Packers. Ochocinco found 2 brothers and a friend of theirs to help with a conjured effort to help him make it happen.

Ochocinco had four front-row tickets in the north end zone sent to Mike Bergs' house, the Milwaukee Journal reported. When Ochocinco actually scored and scored in the north end zone, it was not hard to spot Bergs and company in all orange and Bengals gear in a sea of green. "His face. I wish I could have been shooting a camera at him. The smile on his face was from ear to ear. He was so excited." Mike Bergs said according to the Journal Sentinel. Now that is entertainment at it's best! You gotta love this guy.

image from sportchitchat.com

Twitter and the Effects on Public Personalities

I chose this picture of Robert and his beautiful wife Sarah to show people that he is a family man and that people make mistakes. I hope you enjoy the article.

With the surge of Twitter coming into the world the last few months, many celebrities have gotten themselves in trouble by posting their thoughts every minute of the day. You can go down the list with examples of celebs hurting their persona by saying things they wish they hadn't. Once you write anything on the Internet, it is on the web forever and there is no hiding it.

Redskins rookie linebacker and TCU alum, Robert Henson found this out the tough way. After the Redskins squeaked by the St.Louis Rams with a 9-7 victory the Washington fans booed the team as they exited the field. Let's keep in mind Washington fans are some of the most loyal in the nation...Or are they? They have sold out every game since 1969 but they also booed a team who fought hard and got the win. Hmm. Henson was upset with the fans reaction and decided to let them and the whole world know about his dissatisfaction.

Henson started on his twitter by saying, "All you half hearted skins fans can... I won't go there but I dislike you very strongly, don't come to Fed Ex to boo dim wits!" Henson didn't stop there after he was tweeted back by hundreds of ticked off fans he proceeded to go on. "No I didn't play but I still made more than you in a year and you'd gladly switch spots with me in a second." Not satisfied still, Henson went on to say, "Who are you to you know whats best for the team and you work 9 to 5 at McDonald's."

This caused an uproar all over D.C. and across the nation. On "Mike and Mike in the Morning" an ESPN radio show. Mike Greenberg went into a rant that sounded like a father scolding his own son. To check it out click here.

I understand that he went too far but to be honest the fans deserved it. The Redskins might be struggling right now but they got the win. So why boo your own team when they got the "W?" In my opinions fans are some of the most annoying, loud mouth, flip-flop, ignorant people out there. I am a fan of the Dallas Cowboys and TCU football but good gosh I don't paint my face and scream and curse at games. Isn't there something weak about that? Well there is to me...

Now I have know Robert Henson since I transferred into TCU my second semester of college and he opened me with open arms. Being a new player on a team is tough,everyone eyeing you up and down and not much is said to a new player until you prove yourself as a good teammate and player. But with Robert it didn't matter. Henson spent Christmas with my family and has always been a best friend since the moment I met him. I have not met many people that didn't love this kid, his desire to do well and provide for his family is endless. He has the heart of a lion but sometimes that lion heart can get him in trouble. Henson says what's on his mind and he could get away with it in Fort Worth, Texas and playing for TCU. But being in the nations capital and working for a multi-billion dollar industry that is the NFL you are in the brightest spot light out there.

I know that he was upset because he wants fan support and cares for his teammates but he can't go parading around as though he is an All-Pro and criticize loyal fans, especially when he has been inactive the first 2 games of the season. I know Robert is upset and I have not been able to get in contact with him. I know that he is hurting and wishes he had of never said anything at all. Robert is the type of guy to say whats on his mind, but he should have kept this one to himself. At least he could have stopped before charging up the American people who are struggling to make ends meet in this economy.

I feel for Robert because I know the kind of guy he is and all that he has been through in his short life. But for people that only know him as a rookie spouting off, this looks and sounds very bad. I just hope this doesn't hurt him in the long run, he is a heck of a person and player and people make mistakes. Especially in this era of technology and the Internet. I wish the best for Robert and I hope he can make a sincere apology and that the fans and people move on. Worse has been said and I think it is time for people to move on and forget about it.

TCU Media Luncheon

Yesterday when I showed up at the TCU facilities I was greeted like one of the family, it was a great feeling to know that even though I have moved on and don't see these people everyday they still treat me like one of their own. It was a very humbling experience and really made me realize that I will have purple in my blood as long as I live.

That being said, there was one man with a lot more on his mind and a game face that would scare most women and children. Coach Gary Patterson was tuned up and ready to go play Clemson on Tuesday and would have done just that if the NCAA would have allowed it.

Before the presser, I sat down with CB Rafael Priest who has started since his freshman year and was a pre-season All-American at his position. Priest has always been a great friend as well as a warrior and one of the toughest competitors I ever played with. As we sat and talked we caught up on various issues including his graduate classes that require him to have a 20 page paper done by next week. As we laughed about the almost impossible task of writing a 20 page paper while playing college football we started talking more about the season. Priest explained as did Coach P later that Nick Sanders was at fault for 2 of the touchdowns that were given up against Texas State and that it was a lack of communication between the corner and the linebacker on the wheel route that went for 6.

We went on to talk about "Fun Packed Tuesday" as Coach P calls Tuesday practices, which are the toughest of the week. It's the day to get the most work done...usually around 22 or 24 periods of hard hitting, tough calls, and a lot of yelling by the coaching staff. These are the type of practices that get the Frogs ready to play come Saturday.

Once the presser started Coach P opened with,"Going back out to the ACC to face a very good Clemson team,very fast and very athletic, probably the most athletic we have seen since Oklahoma." Patterson said that his team knew they had not done the job they should have against an opponent like Texas State but did say that when you make as many mistakes as they did last Saturday and come out with a win, that is all that matters. Also let's consider the fact that TCU did put up 56 points so to be upset with that is the sign of a good team. I believe that the safeties have got to grow up and grow up fast, with better athletes and coaching on the horizon in Clemson,BYU, and Utah. Those teams will take advantage of the young safeties. "We have got to start playing with more confidence on defense and on the back end, not the front." Patterson said Tuesday. He also said they had a great practice Sunday night and that he didn't have to say much to his team about the way they played Saturday.

Clemson has 8 interceptions already this season on defense and has a potent offense and special teams both of which are led by C.J. Spiller. Spiller is among college footballs active leaders in almost every statistical category and is a 10.1 hundred guy. He has pure speed and a lot of big-time play potential. Spiller already has 630 total yards on the season and 3 touchdown's. With RB Spiller and Jacoby Ford at wide receiver Clemson has pure speed at most positions. Patterson said,"Ford and Spiller can really go, they are both track guys...again Clemson is a very good home team, they play well when they have those dark uniforms on."

It was clear that Coach Patterson is sticking to what has gotten him where he is today. His motto is, "The games you are supposed to win you have to show up for, the big games will take care of themselves." Coach Patterson has lived and died by that and to this point it has done him some serious justice.

Thursday I will break down what it will take for the Frogs to steal one away from the Clemson Tigers out east...that's all for now sports fans!

Most Unpredictable Sport

By far college football is and has become the most unpredictable sport in all the land. Not a week goes by where the country isn't stirred with confusion by yet another upset. Whether it be Southern Cal losing to a Washington team who has been miserable the past couple years....they do have a stud in Jake Locker at quarter back. While we are on that, everyone needs to stop the hype with Terrelle Pryor because Locker is a better and smarter version of Pryor.

Getting back to upsets let us talk about BYU losing to a hot Florida State team at home in Provo or the Miami Hurricanes continuing their hot streak by beating a third strait ranked opponent in Georgia Tech.

In as many as 3 weeks there have been multiple upsets that have shocked the nation and they will continue all season because in college football any given team can win on any given day. I learned that while playing at TCU. We lost to Wyoming....yes I said it, New Balance sponsored Wyoming! OK enough about that, I can feel my face getting hot just talking about it.

All I'm saying sports fans, is watch your bets this season. College football is too unpredictable to tell who will win on any given day. There is no one out there right now that is a clear National Championship caliber team after 3 weeks of the season. Hold your horses till at least week 9 or 10.

What's Up With L.T.?

Ladanian Tomlinson had just 13 carries but managed to get 55 yards without ever seeming to get into a rhythm. Tomlinson rolled his ankle and was kept out late in the game leaving it up to Darren Sproles to take over and help a 4th quarter comeback with a late touchdown that was the go ahead score for the Chargers on Monday night.

Tomlinson was held out of practice today and it is not sure how much time he will see on Sunday. This is big because it would leave Sproles to take most of the carries against a feisty Ravens defense. Hopefully LT will be available because he worked very hard this off-season to get back to his old ways, you would just like to see a guy with such talent to stay healthy and get back to his old ways.

The Ravens offense was potent last week and Joe Flacco had a career week with over 300 yards passing and 3 touchdown passes. The Chargers need Cromartie and Jammer to step up and shut down the Ravens offense if they plan on getting a win. I will keep you updated on any news concerning the health of LT. Stay tuned sports fans!

Cowboys and Giants Lead A Big Week in the NFL

NFC East rivals, the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants face off in the first regular season game at "Jerry World." The Giants have won 47 road openers, the second-most in league history. This will be a great game and a game with a lot of emotion. It will be the first time DE Chris Canty has faced his old team and the Giants defensive line will be a big factor in a win or a loss at Cowboys stadium. The Cowboys have the best TE duo in the league and experienced with a lot of double tight sets featuring Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett last week. This should give the Giants problems with them having to double cover Witten in most cases and leaving receivers Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton, and Miles Austin with chances to make some big plays as long as Romo is protected and has time to throw the ball. Not many teams in the league can match up with Witten and Bennett.

Dallas has won the last seven games when CB Terrance Newman has an interception. Dallas needs to make the Giants WR's beat them and they must stop Brandon Jacobs who has killed Dallas in the past. Last week against Washington, Jacobs struggled rushing the ball 16 times for only 46 yards. If Dallas can stop Jacobs and make Eli Manning and Steve Smith beat them they will have a chance to win the game. This will be a huge early season win for either team and will give the winner confidence going into the third week and the rest of the season.

Dallas has won 4 out of the last 5 regular season math-ups against New York and are looking to win for the first time at the new stadium. There are rumors of the game being blacked-out due to low ticket sales. This will not be determined until Thursday night.

If Dallas plays tough defense and can hold New York to 24 points they have a real chance of winning the game. Tony Romo had a good week one and many players in the Cowboys locker room say that Romo is much more comfortable without TO around. Look for Tashard Choice and Felix Jones to have big games as well, with Marion Barber pounding it out early and late in the game.

Kanye West Does It Again

As I'm sure everyone has heard by now Kanye West embarrassed himself and the hip-hop community yet again, when he barraged Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Awards Sunday night. When Swift was awarded her first MTV award ever, West charged the stage and took the mic from the young starlet and perplexed the audience when he shouted that Beyonce had the best video of the decade...well Kanye if you had of waited a second Beyonce's video won best video of the year as the last award given of the night. At this time Beyonce asked Taylor Swift to come to center stage to have a chance to say thank you. It was truly a classy moment in Beyonce's career, just adding to her grandiose style.

Tonight Jay-Z performed his new single off the Blueprint 3,titled "Run This Town" and features singer Rihanna and performer Kanye West. Before they took stage West asked Leno to say a few words, where at this time he apologized and said that he was ashamed. It seemed heartfelt but West has done this before and gotten away with it. West needs to grow up and realize what kind of person he wants to be remembered as. West has always wanted attention and has never held back. As of now, he is disliked by many in the pop culture community and if he continues his ways he will be hated by even more. He shows no respect and he believes he is all high and mighty. The only problem is...I love his music, nothing beats his debut album, "College Dropout." This album changed my life in high school and early college days and still does jam out in '09. Not too mention he comes out with great new jams everyday. I think he is an idiot but hey so was Jim Morrison and he made great music.

Ouch! Tough Week For NFL

The NFL season just started didn't it? Yes that's right yesterday was the first Sunday of the 2009 regular season and the first Sunday ended with a lot of injuries for many of the NFL's finest performers. First there was the injury of Steeler's All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu coming in Thursday nights win over the Tennessee Titans. Polamalu tore his MCL in the second quarter when the Steelers blocked a field goal. Tearing the MCL hurts, this is the most painful ligament to tear in your knee but good for Steelers it is not the most serious. Polamalu will be out 3 to 6 weeks at least. It all depends on his rehab and how fast his knee can gain strength back.....Madden Curse? I think so...beware Larry Fitzgerald, just click on this paragraph to check out the Madden Curse!

The worst injury came for the Chicago Bears Brian Urlacher who suffered a dislocated bone in his right wrist. Urlacher had surgery Monday morning and will be done for the entire season. This is sad news coming from a guy who has struggled with neck and back injuries the past few years and finally managed to get himself healthy. Looking better than he has in a few years Urlacher was a dominate force at linebacker against the Packers on Sunday night until what looked like just a minor injury, Urlacher went to the sidelines shaking his hand back n forth. This is devastating to the Bears who have very high hopes with Jay Cutler at quarterback and have just lost their first game and their best defensive player. Reports say the Bears might sign 36 year old All-Pro retired backer Derrick Brooks.

The Philadelphia Eagles lost Donovan McNabb to a broken rib. The injury could bug McNabb all season but he is a beast and has played through injuries his entire career.

Head coach Andy Reid said that he is not ruling out McNabb for week 2 but that he will have no problem starting Kevin Kolb if need be. Michael Vick is not eligible till week 3 and wouldn't start anyway, says Reid. Vick is still rusty and has not had time to become completely comfortable in the offensive system.

Some other significant injuries were- Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez strained a right knee ligament that will put him out at least 6 weeks.

Both the Seahawks starting OLB and MLB Leroy Hill and Lofa Tatupu were injured. Hill with a groin injury and Tatupu with a hamstring. Both of these injuries can be nagging but I am not sure how serious they are. The good thing for the Seahawks is that they have the fourth overall pick in OLB Aaron Curry and TCU alum MLB David Hawthorne. Both of these players have shown they can step in and do a great job.

Giants Rookie, Hakeem Nicks impressed everyone in his early debut with two catches for 18 yards and showed explosive speed and good strength. Nicks injured his left foot after getting a 7 yard gain. It is said to be just a strain and the x-rays were negative.

Derek Jeter

Are You Serious With This!? Shawn Andrews is a Joke

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYzDB5dXIIk

Sweet Hair by the way....

This is a total disgrace to all that is our country and the National Football League on top of that. Not only is Shawn Andrews of the Philadelphia Eagles getting paid 40 million dollars over the next 7 years but he is supposed to be the Eagles starting right tackle and all he is up to is acting a total donkey on the internet. If you copy and paste on the above link you can see this clown in action. I'm sorry but if I was Donovan McNabb on a super bowl caliber team and saw this guy acting like such the idiot that he is I would have a fit! I mean really, instead of getting his back healthy and getting treatment in the training room he is wasting time making awful beats and terrible....and I mean terrible flows on his computer. This is what is wrong with our country right now, we have people like Andrews not doing anything but bumming around on YouTube making awful sounds and not funny jokes while the rest of his team is grinding and trying to get ready for the season ahead. Not too mention he is 26 years old.....dude grow up, you suck at rapping and making beats, leave it to Lil Wayne and the rest of them. It really boggles my mind how some of these NFL players get away with this.

Let me ask you a question..Do you see Adrian Peterson or Jones-Drew, or Drew Brees, or Peyton Manning making silly YouTube videos?? No! They are studying film and talking with their coaches and teammates to make sure they are ready for the weeks game...this guy is acting a clown and missing the first week of the season because he is fat and out of shape with a hurt back...sorry to be unprofessional but this is the truth and the guy is letting himself down, the organization, and more importantly the team down. That's my 2 cents, let me know what you think!

Youtube!

Hey everyone check me out on youtube.com for an everyday fill of sports headlines. The videos don't match up well on the blog so if you go to my facebook or youtube.com just type in Real Sports Talk with Andy Burrell or Andy Burrell. Thanks for all the support!!!- AB

Cy-Young??? What do you think? 16-4 this season and since the start of July Feldman has been 7-0 with a 1.57 ERA. Not too shabby!

Real Sports Talk Intro#1

This is Why You Stay Away From Scandalous People

San Diego Charger's star All-Pro linebacker Shawne Merriman was arrested and accused of choking and restraining reality TV star Tila Tequila. Merriman was taken to jail at 8:30 am and was released just two hours later....must be nice being a famous athlete.

According to espn.com, "Tequila, 27, signed a citizen's arrest warrant, charging Merriman with battery and false imprisonment, San Diego County Sheriff's Lt. Gary Steadman said. Both are felonies. Tequila was reported to be Merriman's girlfriend, but Merriman told ESPN's Colleen Dominguez in a text message that Tequila is only a female acquaintance."

Apparently, Tila was drunk and Merriman had been drinking water all night. When Tila tried to leave and drive her car, Merriman tried to do his best to restrain her from leaving and driving drunk. I'm not a genius but first of all if your last name is Tequila I'm pretty sure you are a drunk and a loser,not too mention this woman had a reality show on VH1 called, "A Shot of Love with Tila." Let me tell you, it was a dating show with men and women and she had to choose if she wanted a man or a woman lover. I think that pretty much sums it up people.

Yes it was stupid of Merriman to even hang around with such a scandalous woman but everyone makes mistakes and at this point with the details that have surfaced it sounds as though, she is in the wrong. There were many witnesses at the party and all said Tequila was out of control.

Merriman needs to be a lot smarter about who he hangs with, he is 25 years old, a multi million hare, and a high profile athlete. Some of these guys just never learn, hopefully the issue can be resolved with justice and in the correct manner. Merriman does need to keep his name on the low from now on though. His reputation is being tarnished and at a very young age. Play football man!!

Cowboys Make One Last Move

The Dallas Cowboys cut 22 players on Saturday putting them at a 52 man roster, one under the league maximum. On Sunday the Cowboys picked up a big hitting safety in Marvin White who was released from the Bengals just yesterday. White was a 4th round pick by Cincinnati in the 2007 NFL draft. White a former McDonald's All-American in high school and also an All-American at Kilgore Junior College went on to play at TCU and played in 27 games in just 2 years with the Bengals. I think White will give the Cowboys what they need. He is fearless on the field and a very violent player. He has struggled in his pass coverage a bit and needs to learn to tackle the legs more. He loves to hit and isn't scared of anyone but this gets him in trouble sometimes because he is only 210 pounds.

Overall I think it's a great pick up and just what the Cowboys need. I hope he does well, he is a great guy and deserves to play in the NFL.

TCU Defensive Breakdown for 2009

A year ago people were saying what will TCU do without Tommy Blake and Chase Ortiz well along came Jerry Hughes and he only led the nation in sacks(15) and forced fumbles(6). Sometimes players receive recognition and media time and think that they have already made it before they have. I have known Jerry since he was a freshmen and I have never found him to be this kind of a guy. Jerry has always worked hard regardless and after seeing as great of a player like Tommy Blake crumble in his problems I don't think Jerry would ever get complacent. Too many times you see great players leave TCU and not successfully live up to the hype. You also see guys work hard and never quit and keep their head on strait and do a fine job in the NFL.

Every year TCU seems to roll players in on defense and have great years. This could be the same again this year, you never know especially in college football.

TCU has a tough schedule yet again this year and although the offense will be more than electrifying this year, defense still wins championships. For TCU to be great this year on defense a few things will need to happen. First I believe we have some great veteran players on D. With Senior corners Rafael Priest and Nick Sanders coming back for yet another season they will for sure help with locking down outside receivers and causing havoc in the flats with what are two of the best open field tacklers I've ever seen at the corner position. Both of these guys are smart physical players who have been groomed to be the best duo at corner for TCU since Quincy Butler and Drew Coleman dominated Mountain West receivers in 2005 during the schools last Conference Championship season. These 2 guys probably have more starts combined than any other corner tandem in the NCAA. I look for these 2 guys to really step it up. They will need to with inexperience and injury at the safety position this year.

Coach Patterson said,"Daryl Washington is probably the fastest linebacker we have had here at TCU since I've been a part of it." This is more than true, although there have been many talented and just pure fast linebackers at TCU the past 15 years Washington is looking to have a huge year in '09. This guy is so talented that he led the nation in punt blocks his sophomore year and added 32 tackles without making one start. His junior year Washington was fourth on the team with 63 tackles. With Robert Henson being ineligible for the Poinsettia Bowl last year against Boise State, Washington made just his second career start and totaled 7 solo tackles and made big plays such as putting pressure on Boise State's QB to cause an arrant throw that resulted in Stephen Hodge getting the game winning interception. Look for Washington to cause mayhem on the field. These days it is rare to find a guy that loves the game as much as he does. It doesn't matter what is going on anywhere else this guy goes to every practice trying to get better, the kid just doesn't stop running. His arms go past his knees for goodness sake! The guy is a freak.

Now as great as these players are that I have mentioned the defense is really hurting. With the loss of DT Cody Moore and DT James Vess. TCU will ask Kelly Griffin and Cory Grant to fill the role. Both guys played as freshmen but I really haven't seen much out of them. Grant can be lazy and Griffin doesn't have much attitude. This will be a big hole to fill and if these 2 can step up it will help Jerry Hughes and Daryl Washington have much better years.

The biggest issue is at safety. TCU runs the 4-2-5 so the safeties play a very integral role in the teams success. TCU lost FS Steven Coleman and SS Stephen Hodge and are still looking to fill the holes. Tejay Johnson will start at Free Safety because that is where the most talking is needed and Johnson played as a freshmen and all last season. Johnson surprised me in the bowl game showing a lot more attitude and confidence. He had been so soft on the field all season but towards the last few games really came into his own. The kid is very smart and has a great build to play safety in this defense, he too has been groomed since day one to be the leader of this secondary.

Another issue is the loss of SS Colin Jones to a hamstring injury. Although Jones is expected to be back soon and has began running Friday hamstrings are a funny injury and it's the type of injury that could have you taking it easy all season or battling tweaks and re injuring the thing. Jones has tremendous speed otherwise and I am told that he has really started to grasp to defense. His problems come with open field tackling, he is so fast he never breaks down and ends up running by each man, he needs to break this habit if he wants to play. Due to Jones injury the coaching staff has had to make drastic moves such as moving players from offense over to defense to learn the safety position in case the young safeties have problems when season starts.

This season all depends on the play of the safeties. As long as they follow their rules and do what Patterson and Bumpas map out for them they will be fine. Coach Patterson is a mad scientist when it comes to his defensive scheme. There is nobody better in the country. This man is more ready on game day than a lot of his players and that's scary. Defensive MVP should be Daryl Washington this season as long as he stays healthy.

Favre Looks Good in Viking's Win

Monday night the Vikings looked good, I mean they looked very good. Brett Favre went 13 for 18 with 142 yards and a 28 yard touchdown to Chester Taylor. The screen pass was set up perfectly and the Vikings right Tackle executed the screen and Taylor's big time effort took him for a couple broken tackles and 28 yards later into the end zone. The night was filled with Adrian Peterson's big play presence combined with the excitement of seeing Brett Favre at the hump.

At one point in the pre season game Favre lined up at receiver with rookie Percy Harvin at QB running the wildcat. Favre came in from his outside receiver spot and cracked back on the safety. The hit shook both players up and resulted in a 15 yeard penalty against Favre and the Viking's. It was an awesome game to watch and for any and all NFL fans....be aware and be scared of the Viking's! This team will be a big time threat in the NFC with the Eagles right beside them. It should be a very exciting season, can't wait to get it going! I love my Cowboys but I think Coach Phillips and company have a tough season ahead.

TCU Football Offensive Breakdown for 2009

TCU is set for a big-time season in 2009. After coming off a 11-2 season and leaving them as the #7 ranked team in the nation. The Frogs pre-season ranking of 17 this year is the highest mark for them since 1960. TCU comes into this 2009 season with a 2-time bowl winning QB in Andy Dalton and a consensus All-American DE in Jerry Hughes, yes reason #98. Dalton is on his way to becoming one of the best statistically in TCU history. The kid has already won 2 Bowl MVP's and is second all-time in career completions(404) and third in passing yards(4,701). Last year Dalton went on a stretch of 108 passes without a pick and only had 5 all last year. I watched Dalton last year turn the corner and become a much more confident and mature player. He really developed into a stronger leader and took charge of a young offense. I feel like the offense will have a big year. With the dual play calling from Jarret Anderson and Rusty Burns I believe they will really pump up the offense and use the talent that TCU has on the offensive side of the ball. With the loss of Aaron Brown to the Detroit Lions look for Joseph Turner to have a much better season since coming off a bad knee from the Texas Bowl a couple years ago. A knee is always much healthier 2 years later just look at McNabb or anyone that has had knee problems. Also the entire backfield is stacked and 2 names to watch for will be Ed Wesley and Jai Caveness. Wesley has power and great feet combined with speed and an attitude that will make him a great running back at TCU. Caveness saw minimal playing time last year as a RS freshmen and he is an explosive back that is very difficult to tackle.

The offensive line will miss C Blake Schlueter but don't worry because TCU is equipped with the twin towers at OT with All-Conference tackles Marhsall Newhouse and Marcus Cannon. I really think this will be the year that Cannon finally comes out of his little hole and realizes what kind of player he can be. The guy is a massive human and is athletically gifted. Look for Zach Roth out of Garden City JUCO in Kansas to have a big year as well. Last year in summer workouts Roth was a beast and would beat Schluter in just about every race which is saying quite a lot considering Schlueter ran a 4.7 for NFL scouts and was drafted by the Broncos. Roth has put on weight and has become much more comfortable in the system.

Obviously the wide receivers are deep and very very talented. Let's start with the most talented offensive player and the most explosive by far. Yes that's right, Jeremy Kerley. Kerley is tuned in for a huge Junior year. Not only will he be one of the nations best return men but he will get a lot more touches as a slot receiver and at the hump running the "WildFrog." This kid is determined to play at the highest level and has the heart of a lion. Not too mention he has the best feet on the team along with just being one hell of a football player. TCU's leading receiver and deep threat Jimmy "Luxury Tax" young is back and is ready to back up his huge Sophomore season with more of the same. Also, Bart Johnson, Antoine Hicks, Curtis Clay, and Ryan Christian who will see time in the backfield as well. Christian has been playing since his freshmen year and the game gets slower and easier for him each year. I love watching this kid play, he is a track star and makes the football field his own field day. He has great vision and feet and really has no fear even though he only stands about 5-10 and 175 pounds soaking wet. Football is not always a game of size it's about skill and want to and Christian definitely possesses these.

I haven't kept up with the blog because work has been wearing me out but I am getting back on it so tune in for more very soon. When I get home I will break down the defensive side of the ball. The defense is down this year and will count on veteran corners, an All-American DE, and a freak at the linebacker position in Daryl Washington to help the defense get the stops it needs this year. We will talk more soon, that's all for now sports fans!

TCU Football 2008 Signed Players

Aaron Brown(RB,Specialist)-  The Detroit Lions have signed TCU's own sixth-round pick RB Aaron Brown, Scout.com has confirmed. According to a league source, it's a three-year, $1.26 million deal. The contract includes a signing bonus worth $75,000.  AB is going to be the number 3 RB and could help out on special teams with KO returns as well as seeing some action on the punt return as well.  

Jason Phillips(LB)-The Baltimore Ravens signed TCU's own fifth-round linebacker Jason Phillips to a three-year contract worth $1.34 million that includes a $156,050 signing bonus, according to NFL Players Association records.

A four-time all-conference player at Texas Christian, Phillips received base salaries of $310,000, $395,000 and $480,000. He received split salaries for the first two years of his contract.  That's my dude and he still hasn't taken me to dinner!! But his knee is healthy and the Baltimore Ravens are loving him.  He is the type of player that can run around and make plays.  The guy is a pure athlete, I've seen him do a front flip and a back flip right off that.  I still had more tackles than him in our freshmen year spring practices! He will be perfect for the Ravens scheme because they have one of the biggest defensive lines in the league and the D-Line is taught to hold up the offensive line and let the LB's run wild and make plays like big Ray Lewis.  Phillips should flourish in this scheme, especially learning from players such as Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, and Ed Reed.  Not a bad group of players.  Considering they will possibly all be in the Hall one day.  

Robert Henson(LB)-  The Washington Redskins signed my boy to a 3-year deal and a nice little signing bonus but last time I saw him was at his baby shower for his wife and I wasn't about to ask my man how much bread he was making....let's just say he is doing well and loving life.  Not too mention he has been catching the eyes of every coach in Washington and will have to wait his turn to play on D but will contribute on Special Teams and trust me my boy Rob will run around and kill people out there, this guy is not scared of anyone and loves to play the game.  He will do well for the Skins.

Blake Schlueter(OL,Center)-  My boy Blake has signed with the Denver Broncos as well, terms were disclosed but heck I'm just glad to see this guy get signed and get the opportunity to play at this level.   He deserves it!  This guy is a beast of an athlete and has worked so hard to get where he is.  I remember watching film of Blake in the film room pancaking guys twice his size because of his speed,great technique, and strength.  Schlueter had 10 pancakes a game more than I can count on both hands.  That's saying something!  He will fit perfectly in the Bronco's scheme, he can run, he is smart, and is just a hard ass all around, check out my pro day story on andyburrell.com and you can see this beast run.

Stephen Hodge(LB)-  I'm not sure what my boy signed for but I can tell you that I spoke with Bradie James(Cowboys Linebacker) on ESPN radio 103.3 and I had the chance to talk with him about Hodge a little bit.  As TCU fans know strong safety Hodge made a lot of plays in his career and it started as a freshman.  He wrecked shop on special teams for a couple of years and then got the chance to start playing more in nickel and dime packages for the frogs.  I would have started but I tore my knee to shreds against BYU....well at least I think I would have started!  Now Hodge has been converted to a pure linebacker, it is different especially in the league but Hodge does have experience with LB because at TCU we ran Coach Gary Patterson's patented 4-2-5 defense so Hodge would slide into the LB position depending on the formation of the offense.  So he does have minimal experience and the guy is a beast(6 foot 240).  Bradie told me that he saw good things out of Hodge and that it is tough to change positions but that he gets better everyday.  

This has been the run down for TCU frog fans and anyone else that is interested in these pro teams.  I will keep you up to date on all the latest info on my boys.  They will all be playing their own role and I look forward to seeing what they do this season and in the future.  As always, this has been AndyB keepin it real, you guys get at me and leave some comments.  Feel free to ask questions, put me in my place, or agree.  If you are reading this, I appreciate it and I will be on top of my game from this point on.

NBA Off-Season

This off season has been one of many changes for the strongest teams in the East and the West.  With the most recent coming out of Boston with the Celtics picking up Rasheed Wallace.  This type of player can really make them one of the best teams in the history of the league. Yeah, the history! As much as people don't like Wallace I guarantee you that if he is on your team you are loving the guy.  I mean he is always hustling, he plays a lot of minutes, great rebounder, great perimeter shooter, and an intimidator on the court.  Trust me a lot of these NBA guys do not want to have to put up with Wallace's talent or his attitude not too mention you have KG,Paul Pierce,Rondo,and Jesus Shuttlesworth(Ray Allen).  It looks pretty scary and then you have the scoring power of Eddie "Arizona State" House off the bench.  Ok, ok I'm starting to sound like a Celtic's fan and that I am not,trust me!  All I am trying to get across is that if the Lakers don't get back Lamar Odom who is reportedly being swayed by the Miami Heat and Dwayne Wade and the young moolah$$ then they will have trouble playing with the Celtic's.  If Odom and Ariza are both out of LA you are looking at a totally different team and one that I don't believe can hang with the mighty Celtic's even with Kobe and yet another intimadator Ron Artest.  God, I would not ever want to get on his bad side and would defiantly want him on my side in a bar fight. The guy is athletic,thick,great shooter, and a pure ass hole.  But LA will not be able to hang with Boston if they can't hold on to Odom.  That is as long as the heart of the team, KG stays healthy.

We can't count out "The King" either though, I mean the guy is a beast, I am constantly in fights with my best buddy Sdot about who is better-LeBron or Kobe.  I'm not even sure sometimes, they are different players.  I believe Kobe is better just because the guy is a winner and a pure competitor.  I mean he wants it more than anyone and that's one thing LeBron is lacking but with the acquisition of Shaq it could make for a very interesting season and make LeBron want it so much more. Because even though I'm only 23 and have never met any of these guys I'm pretty sure that Kobe and Shaq are constantly trying to out do each other when it comes to the 'ol Championships.  And you cannot count the Cavs out because they have the biggest,strongest,fastest and pure talent that anyone in the game has seen in a long time.  I might sound like I'm contradicting myself with the King James and Kobe talk but I really think that the all around better player is Kobe...at least at this point.  He has won and he plays his ass off every game. Not to say that LeBron doesn't give it his all but Kobe is a beast in the 4th quarter and you never know what you will get out of him.  Think about this....LeBron is 24 with 6 years of experience....Kobe is 30 with 13 years experience.  LeBron has plenty of time to catch up but Kobe did win his first NBA Title in only his 5th season the 2000-2001 season.  Yes he did have the DIESEL in his hay day but it just doesn't add up.  Ok, I'm done with this!!! This could go on for days!  

The main idea of this post was to talk about the tumultuous big move off season in the NBA.  It will be interesting to see if the Lakers can hold on to Odom.  He needs to wake up by the way and realize who he is playing around and who the hell is coaching his ass!! I mean stick around and win a couple more rings because as bad ass as Mr. Wade is....the Heat are not going to compare to the Celtics, Magic, or the Cavs in the East.  Don't count out the Spurs with Richard Jefferson or the Mavericks with their run and gun offense and the great coaching of Rick Carlisle.     

MAVS Make Deal For Shawn Marion

After re-signing Jason Kidd earlier this week, ESPN is reporting that the Dallas Mavericks are part of a 4 team deal that would send Jerry Stackhouse to the Grizzlies and Devean George and Antoine Wright to the Raptors.  Personally I like this deal, the Mavericks not only get rid of an old ailing Stackhouse(who I am a fan of but he hasn't been healthy since '06) they also get rid of Wright who never impressed me and Devean George who was nothing close to the role player once thought to be when he arrived in Dallas.

It's what Dallas is getting that I really like.  We will be able to line up and run the court with a big athletic group.  Kidd, Howard at the 2, Marion at small forward next to Nowitzki and sixth man of the year award winner, the JET coming off the bench.  The Mavericks also got 2 other players in the deal which can help add some depth such as 25 year old Marcin Gortat who is not a bad shooter and brings some youthful energy.  The Mavericks also signed former SMU guard Quinton Ross to help with perimeter defense since that was the only thing that Antoine Wright ever did for the Mavs organization.  

With the help of Marion the Mavs will have one of the most athletic and best shooting teams in the league without a doubt.  But does Cuban really think that this kind of deal can make them that much better to keep up with the likes of the big 4(Lakers, Orlando, Cavs, and Spurs) who have all made bigger deals to improve themselves.  Only time will tell but this does give Coach Rick Carlisle more to work with and we all know what a great coach he is.  Till next time-AB

Rangers Take First...For Now

The Texas Strangers and Vicente Padilla pulled off a big win out in Anaheim thanks to the help of Andruw Jones and his 3 home runs.  Remember the last memorable time Andruw hit 3 home runs??? Let's think...maybe the NLCS against the nitty gritty Phillies when he was 18 years of age!  The final was 8-1 Rangers.  Taylor Teagarden, former UT catcher even got in on the action by hitting a bomb.  The Rangers advanced to 7-2 against the Angels this year, tonight Andruw Jones carried the team and made his mark as a Ranger.  

Here's a few that have hit 3 home runs in a game as a Texas Ranger...A-Rod, Texeria, Juan Gonzo Gonzalez, and the "Shrek" Kevin Mench.  Pretty big deal tonight....we will get back at you tomorrow..keep it real and everybody jump on the AndyB train along with my boy Andruw Jones!-AB

What have I been saying?? The entire season I have said give Mr.Andruw Jones at bats.  Mr. Jones hit 3 bombs tonight against the All Mighty AL West LA of Anaheim Angels.  Yes, yes I did grow up a Jones fan due to the fact that Ted Turner had the Braves on every channel,brain washing us all with the perfect pitching staff and all-American players such as Terry Pendleton and Steve Avery into our brains but forget about the Yanks the Braves were the team of the 90's.  Let's think about another owner that did the same thing....Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys of the 90's.  I wish I was on TV or radio because I really stink at typing.  Getting back to our Strangers...did you know that this time last year the Angels had an 8 game lead in the West and they went ahead and ran away with it.  The AL West is not a walk in the park like it has been in years past.  Lets not forget about the Mariners who don't have such a bad squad themselves.  

Let's get Hamilton going and if Andrus can hold up in a long season we have a chance...but don't scratch too early because 'ol Grayson Sherman JUCO Lackey is a stud and can carry a team through the playoffs just like the entire Angels bullpen.  

I'll get back at you tomorrow with some inside info on how recent draft pics Robert Henson(Redskins), Jason Phillips(Ravens), Blake Schluter(Broncos), and lets not forget about "The Head" Stephen "lay the wood" Hodge!  Yes he has multiple nick names. I'll try and catch up with all of them tomorrow and see what's happening on the pro side of things.  

Tell then keep it real and stay true.  For all you sports fans, this is AndyB and I'm out!

Just the Start

First and foremost I would like to thank Holly Jonas for putting this bad boy together. We still have some kinks to work out and hopefully in the next few days my video segment, video interviews, and sports radio will be up on the website. The sole purpose of andyburrell.com is to connect with sports fans as well as Andy Burrell fans; because I know you're out there and talk real sports. Everyone is tired of hearing the same ol same ol from every sports broadcaster and analyst. I'm here to change that and in the process get a job and start a career for myself. Each day I will blog at least 2 or 3 times and I am asking that everyone give their 2 cents. I don't care if you agree or disagree on a topic but if you disagree chances are I will tell you why you are wrong. This will be a fun and interactive website and I will always provide the inside scoop. Because of my time playing football at TCU and working at CBS in Dallas/FW I have made many contacts and know a lot of athletes and I will not be afraid to let you know whats going on when the going gets tough or when it is going easy. Thanks to all who contribute and as soon as the site is done we will start talking TCU football and baseball, MLB, NFL, Soccer, NBA...Hell we will even talk CFL because I have a couple boys that are balling up there this coming season. Until the next week keep it real and stay tuned sports fans! AB